90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast

26
Nature #194

Join Chris Clarke and a variety of guests as they explore the challenges and opportunities of the American Southwest's fragile ecosystems. Engaging interviews with experts, activists, and advocates on conservation, land management, and environmental justice. Science and sentiment, politics and philosophy, hiking and history, culture and creativity all go into defending the desert. Be forewarned: We are out to recruit you to the cause.

Recent Episodes
  • S4E18: Resilience & Resistance in Navajo Country
    Jun 11, 2025 – 43:16
  • S4E17: The War Against The Greens, Updated
    May 27, 2025 – 54:11
  • S4E16: Ezra Klein's New Book Has an Abundance of Problems
    May 20, 2025 – 38:30
  • S4E15: The Fight to Save Lives on the U.S.-Mexico Border
    May 13, 2025 – 37:11
  • S4E14: @WesternWaterGirl Gives Social Media a Reality Check
    May 6, 2025 – 39:16
  • S4E13: Yuck: The Wild, Weird History of Joshua Trees with Barret Baumgart
    Apr 29, 2025 – 38:34
  • S4E12: We Need To Talk About "De-Extinction"
    Apr 15, 2025 – 40:19
  • S4E11: Beauty Meets Struggle: The Endangered Treasures of BLM Lands
    Apr 8, 2025 – 51:06
  • S4E10: 3 Ways the Desert Improves Your Life
    Apr 1, 2025 – 40:26
  • S4E9: DEI and Desert Protection
    Mar 25, 2025 – 22:15
  • S4E8: Plan Sonora: The New Face of Green Colonialism
    Mar 18, 2025 – 36:12
  • S4E7: The Southwest's Hidden Urban Histories
    Mar 11, 2025 – 50:04
  • S4E6: The Desert Speaks Out
    Mar 4, 2025 – 27:48
  • S4E5: DOGE Layoffs Are Sabotaging Public Lands
    Feb 26, 2025 – 40:29
  • S4E4: Other Podcasts You Should Check Out
    Feb 18, 2025 – 34:02
  • Teaser: a quick update
    Feb 11, 2025 – 04:15
  • S4E3: Ivanpah Solar to shut down
    Jan 29, 2025 – 32:52
  • S4E2: Good News at Ash Meadows
    Jan 21, 2025 – 32:57
  • S4E1: Moab to Mojave: The Largest Conservation Corridor Explained
    Jan 14, 2025 – 29:45
  • Season Four coming soon!
    Jan 6, 2025 – 02:00
  • S3E37: BLM Cozies Up To Renewable Energy Companies
    Dec 24, 2024 – 36:54
  • S3E36: Laughing Coyotes and Saguaro Dreams: An Unlikely Desert Awakening
    Dec 18, 2024 – 33:28
  • S3E35: Reimagine, Rebuild, Resist: Creating the World We Want Together
    Nov 26, 2024 – 41:16
  • S3E34: Hope the Mexican Wolf: A Tale of Survival and Loss in Northern Arizona
    Nov 19, 2024 – 34:49
  • S3E33: Dr. Naomi Fraga on the Frontlines of Botanical Conservation
    Nov 12, 2024 – 45:04
  • S3E32: Vote, Engage, and Protect Our Desert
    Nov 5, 2024 – 23:54
  • S3E31: Return of the Lobo: Restoring Texas' Mexican Wolves
    Oct 22, 2024 – 52:01
  • S3E30: Exploring the Art and Science of Joshua Trees
    Oct 15, 2024 – 01:10:47
  • S3E29: Barbed Wire and Border Walls: The Unseen Cost of Fragmented Habitats
    Oct 8, 2024 – 55:23
  • S3E28: There Ain't No Big Faucet: Water Politics with the Great Basin Water Network
    Sep 24, 2024 – 52:32
  • S3E27: Los Alamos's Dark Legacy: Plutonium Pollution in Plain Sight
    Sep 18, 2024 – 49:38
  • S3E26: The New Western Solar Plan: A Disaster for Desert Ecosystems?
    Sep 3, 2024 – 36:08
  • S3E25: Utah's Public Lands Lawsuit Sparks Controversy
    Aug 27, 2024 – 34:59
  • S3E24: The Fight to Protect the Pahrump Valley
    Aug 20, 2024 – 45:26
  • S3E23: Moonlit Deserts and Lost Love
    Aug 7, 2024 – 25:13
  • S3E22: Debunking Snake Misconceptions
    Jul 24, 2024 – 43:04
  • S3E21: The War on Facts: Environmental Protection after Chevron
    Jul 16, 2024 – 38:05
  • S3E20: Desert Protection versus Climate Capitalism: Can we have both?
    Jun 26, 2024 – 26:37
  • S3E19: Oh, those dark desert skies
    Jun 18, 2024 – 46:42
  • S3E18: Don't Die Today! Staying Safe in Desert Heat
    Jun 11, 2024 – 38:54
  • S3E17: Submerged No More! Restoring Chemehuevi Land and Traditions
    Jun 4, 2024 – 47:01
  • S3E16: Ash Meadows Faces New Mining Threat
    May 21, 2024 – 28:06
  • S3E15: The Surprising Longevity of Desert Plants
    May 15, 2024 – 37:52
  • S3E14: Saving El Paso's Rio Bosque Wetlands
    May 7, 2024 – 50:17
  • S3E13: Why Protecting Cultural Sites is Important
    Apr 30, 2024 – 48:43
  • S3E12: Our 50th Episode
    Apr 25, 2024 – 28:10
  • S3E11: Desert Stories
    Apr 16, 2024 – 37:57
  • S3E10: Can the Wilson's Phalarope Save the Great Salt Lake?
    Apr 3, 2024 – 44:31
  • S3E9: How Avi Kwa Ame Transformed My Life
    Mar 26, 2024 – 47:39
  • S3E8: Border Wall: A Barrier to Wildlife and Humanity
    Mar 19, 2024 – 48:01
Recent Reviews
  • Bronzbakattak
    Liberal tears
    He cries about the current administration more than anyone I’ve heard. Tired of the whining from the left.
  • EchoZey
    A must-listen for desert lovers
    Informative, engaging, and deeply rooted in love for the desert—this podcast covers issues that matter while celebrating what makes the desert extraordinary.
  • manlike.
    A breath of fresh dry air.
    A sane take on the threats to desert ecosystems and the beauty of the deserts themselves.
  • Jenandalo
    Without the desert our collective futures are barren
    Good podcast, I like it.
  • Kimberly Zzyzx
    Essential Listening
    This podcast is a hike you take where all sorts the little mysteries and questions wonderings you have are the topics Chris Clarke delves into. 10/10, fully recommend.
  • Eriogonum
    The desert is beautiful and heartbreaking -
    I think I’ve been listening since the beginning, this podcast captures both the beautiful necessity of the desert and the heartbreaking threats that never cease. Consistently excellent and uniquely valuable in promoting knowledge about and appreciation of these landscapes. Everyone I’ve recommended it to has been appreciative! I really don’t think there are any other podcasts that capture quite this breadth of topics about our deserts.
  • apricotmallow
    A desert sunrise.
    Having moved away from the Mojave, 90MFN is my go-to source for all things desert to keep me connected to my favorite place. As a podcast, it has such a unique voice that has only gotten better with time. I’m very grateful for all that effort, time, and heart that goes into this production and I hope it continues for years to come.
  • Jarhead0369
    Desert Love
    Interesting observations but Ed Abbey wasn’t wrong. The greatest threat to wilderness are sprawl and development which are driven by population growth. Slow population increase to save nature seems like a simple way.
  • Coyote Crossing
    I’m biased, but…
    This is the ONLY podcast that focuses on desert protection in the United States. You should listen and learn something about this neglected landscape.
  • Dcerk
    Don’t desert the desert!
    A listen to friendly podcast about American deserts especially the Mojave. A good substitute if you can’t be there. A great way to learn about threats to the desert and ways you can help. Always listen to the end. ❤️
  • Razorblyde
    Really good
    Great podcast showcasing the unique challenges facing desert ecosystems as well as the joys of desert living
  • Kyoung21b
    Saving the Desert 101
    Fantastic podcast - who knew ? That is who knew that suggestions for trying to help save the desert could be made accessible and entertaining ! And Alicia and Chris have nice chemistry - kind of the Johnny and Ed of desert conservation (if you’re too young to get that reference your probably better off…)
  • muddyvter
    Gravity Infused with Joy
    This podcast fills me with joy. Alicia and Chris deliver the perfect blend of digestible knowledge of all things desert, seriousness concerning environmental impacts via a tangible love and care for their desert home, and also levity. Any podcast that can bring me to tears about the dire state of our planet one moment, and in the next have me snorting out loud with laughter over a snarky comment or clever word play, is a big win in my book! This is the only podcast i’ve listened to every episode of! I always look forward to learning more in the next one, and am a proud patreon supporter . Gratitude
  • NotLeavingTheDesert
    Vivid and Beautifully Spoken Imagery
    Chris and Alicia are fantastic. Whether you are a seasoned desert activist, desert rat or someone new to the desert in need of a few reasons to become involved in the protection of a beautiful part of the world, this show inspires and really puts things into perspective with stories and descriptions that place you squarely in the scene being set. Eagerly awaiting new episodes every week!
  • EverUpward
    Super intelligent and entertaining desert crusaders
    These folks are so informed, through research, experience, and community, and they share critical information for an engaging awakening. You can feel their love, respect, appreciation, and awe of desert nature in every word. Genuine and genius.
  • DJmuzak
    Great podcast
    Informative and heartfelt spotlight on a beautiful yet hugely under-appreciated part the world
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.